Medical record and healthcare financial data access to designated third party representative for auditing and review. 

With the implementation of electronic medical records, patients have access to records often on an insurance company portal.  However if the patient is very sick, they can not access, down load, and distribute the records to a third party.

Currently, HIPAA legislation does allow a written release of records to a designated individual.  This may work well for those who are bless to have family members who can understand medical insurance jargon and manage their medical bills.  But if a patient wants to use a out-side 3rd party company to review medical records and or bills, the current HIPAA laws allow for insurance companies and medical provider groups to  decide if the records should be release.  This language is to broad and open to self gaining interpretation.

Current legislation language only allows release to individuals.  This proposal is requesting that the patient be able to release records via, paper, or electronic media, to a designated individual, company, or organization.  This includes, access to online portal with patient or responsible person written approval.  To be allowed access to medical records for both healthcare management and billing, coding auditing purposes. 

Video Information: https://youtu.be/3WsRzlutBQk

Purpose of petition:

To edit the HIPAA 45 CFR164.501    verbiage from release records to "Individual" to "Individual/ health administration coordinator".  http://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/index.html

Definition: 

*Health administration coordinator- A patient's designated third party representative, allowed access to medical and billing/coding insurance data.

Benefits:

*At the patient choice they may have assistance managing medical data.

*Allows the patient to seek professional help with deciphering medical records and healthcare financial data.